Rugby: SRU seal of approval for Currie stars

Currie have received a boost ahead of tomorrow's British and Irish rugby Cup visit to Leinster A at Donnybrook, Dublin.

Six players from the reigning Scottish champions are included in the Scottish clubs' international squad for the clash with French counterparts at Orleans on Friday, February 4.

They are stand off Matthew Scott, Finlay Gillies, Ross Weston, Richard Snedden, Tom Brown and Dougie Fife, who misses tomorrow's trip across the Irish Sea with a leg knock.

Also, flanker Mark Cairns has received a boost with inclusion in the latest Scotland sevens squad for tournaments next month in Wellington and Las Vegas.

Currie's Ally Donaldson will again coach the clubs' representative team but is looking no further than the visit to Leinster A with a view to seeing the side make up for "one that got away" last time.

Eight days on Donaldson is still smarting at how Currie let a first-ever win at this level, at home to Newport, slip through their grasp when the teams met at Malleny Park.

Instead, the Welshmen gained a 25-23 victory and Donaldson reflected by saying: "That game was there for the taking but we were not smart enough. However, we showed we can compete with semi-professional teams with our fitness very good considering we hadn't played for a while."

Injuries have seen Edinburgh withdraw both Andy and Steven Turnbull and Currie have also been rocked by the loss of ex-New Zealand provincial second row Ryan Wilson as well as club captain Andy Adam in the same position. As well as Dougie Fife centre Andy MacMahon has not recovered from injury in time to be involved and Donaldson explained the decision to demot stand off Matthew Scott, outstanding against Newport, saying: "It is purely a rotational decision; we wanted to give Andy Binikos some game time in the B & I Cup."

Meanwhile Currie have arranged their postponed B & I tie with Worcester for Malleny Park on Tuesday, February 8 (kick off 7.30pm).

Leinster: Niall Morris, Andrew Conway, Brendan Macken, Eoin O'Malley, David Kearney, Ian McKinley, Paul O'Donohoe, Jack McGrath, Aaron Dundon, Simon Shawe, Eoin Sheriff Mariano Galarza, Kevin McLaughlin, captain, Leo Auv'a, Jordi Murphy. Subs: Tom Sexton, Stewart Maguire, Ed O'Donoghue, Ciaran Ruddick, John Cooney, Ian Madigan, Michael Keating.

Currie: Johnny Smith, Tom Brown, Hayden Abercrombie, Alex Dunbar, James Johnstone, Andrew Binikos, Richard Snedden, John Cox, Alastair Hamilton, Adam Best, Gary Temple, Mark Cairns, captain, Ross Weston, Mike Entwhistle. Subs: Stu Simonsen, Ross Merrilees, Neil Scobie, AN Other, Matthew Scott, Alan Whittingham, Fraser Harkness

"It is purely a rotational decision; we wanted to give Andy Binikos some time in the B & I Cup" ally donaldson